Discussion on Lesions of the Intestine and of the Urinary Tract Resembling Disease of the Female Genital Tract

AimsThe authors previously reported the expression of keratan sulfate (KS), a glycosaminoglycan, in the epithelium of normal and neoplastic endometria. The aim of this study was to evaluate its potential use as a diagnostic marker, and the expression of KS was investigated in other human epithelial tissues.MethodsExpression was examined immunohistochemically using 102 samples of normal epithelia and 110 samples of carcinomas from the female genital tract (FGT; cervix, endometrium, ovary, fallopian tube), digestive organs (gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver), urinary tract, lung, mammary gland, thyroid and mesothelium.ResultsIn normal tissues, KS was consistently detected in the FGT and ectopic endometrium (25/26), but was not found in the digestive organs (1/42) and urinary tract (0/6), and was only partly detected in the lung (7/10), mammary gland (3/9) and thyroid (4/4). In malignant tissues, KS was consistently observed in carcinomas of the endometrium, ovary and fallopian tube (29/32), and was partly detected in carcinomas of the lung, mammary gland, thyroid, pancreas and mesothelium, but was absent in carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract (0/17), liver (0/5) and urinary tract (0/11). Among carcinomas of the FGT, digestive organs and urinary tract, KS positivity suggested the possibility of FGT carcinomas, with 79.5% (31/39) sensitivity and 92.9% (39/42) specificity.ConclusionsKS is a potentially useful marker for the supportive diagnosis of the primary site of metastatic carcinomas or unknown primary carcinomas, especially in the abdominal cavity.

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A case report of necrotizing fasciitis with growth of Actinomyces europaeus and Actinotignum schaalii

Journal of Surgical Case Reports ◽

10.1093/jscr/rjz286 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nicole Joanne Kus ◽

Bryan Jordan Kim ◽

Howard M Ross

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Urinary Tract ◽

Genital Tract ◽

Female Genital Tract ◽

Decubitus Ulcers ◽

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection ◽

First Case ◽

Tract Infections ◽

Human Flora ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Actinomyces europeaeus and Actinotignum schaalii are two facultative anaerobes that are common contaminants of human flora; namely the urinary tract, the female genital tract and the gastrointestinal tract. A. europeaeus has been linked with abscesses, decubitus ulcers and purulent urethritis, while A. schaalii has been associated with urinary tract infections, bacteremia and Fournier’s gangrene. Here we present a case report of an 84-year-old female patient found to have a necrotizing soft tissue infection caused by A. europeaeus and A. schaalii. To our knowledge, this is the first case report that documents A. europeaeus as a causal agent of a necrotizing infection.

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Malakoplakia Outside the Urinary Tract

Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine ◽

10.5858/2007-131-297-motut ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 131 (2) ◽

pp. 297-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

George M. Yousef ◽

Bibi Naghibi

Keyword(s):

Urinary Tract ◽

Genital Tract ◽

Periodic Acid ◽

Female Genital Tract ◽

Lymph Node Involvement ◽

Diagnostic Features ◽

Periodic Acid Schiff ◽

Clinical Presentations ◽

Node Involvement ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Context.—Malakoplakia is a rare granulomatous disease that occurs commonly in the urinary tract. Histologically, it is defined by sheets of histiocytes (Hansemann cells) with accumulation of granular basophilic periodic acid-Schiff– positive, diastase-resistant inclusions and calcified Michaelis-Gutmann bodies, which are pathognomonic but not necessary for diagnosis. In addition to the urinary tract, malakoplakia has been reported in other organs, including the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, female genital tract, and the tongue. Objectives.—To review the literature of reported sites of malakoplakia outside the urinary tract and their variable clinical presentations, and to discuss the main diagnostic features and differential diagnoses of malakoplakia. The pathogenesis and possible etiologic factors are also presented. Data Sources.—Data for this work were collected from the published literature, textbooks, and the Internet. Conclusions.—It is important to be aware of the existence of this entity in abnormal locations. In many situations, malignancy can be mimicked, especially when the lesion is ulcerated and is accompanied by lymph node involvement. Misinterpreting large, rapidly growing nodules of malakoplakia as tumor might lead to overstaging. Pathologists should be also aware of the possibility of malakoplakia coexisting with other lesions, such as tuberculosis and carcinoma, in the same specimen.

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